Teacher Found Dead Near High School; Student in Custody

A 14-year-old student at a suburban high school in Boston, Mass., was in custody Wednesday after police found the body of a teacher in the woods behind the school overnight, officials said.

Police began an investigation late on Tuesday after receiving calls that a student at the school had not returned home, and that a teacher had also not returned home and was not responding to her cell phone, Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett told reporters on Wednesday.

Police found the body of Colleen Ritzer, 24, a teacher at Danvers High School, in the woods after discovering blood in a second-floor bathroom.

"It was apparent that she was a homicide victim," Blodgett said. "This is a terrible tragedy."

Blodgett declined to identify the suspect, who was taken into custody, because he is a minor.

The student was due to make a court appearance later on Wednesday in a session closed to the public.

All public schools in Danvers, about 20 miles north of Boston, were closed on Wednesday, though police believed there was no continuing threat to public safety.

"We have no reason to believe there were any other suspects involved," Blodgett said.